Apparatus for gauging and adjusting articles



,May 28, 1935. I A. w. SCHOOF APPARATUS FOR GAUGING AND ADJUSTING ARTICLES Filed June-25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 yfl May 28; 1935. A. w. scHooF APPARATUS FOR GAUGING AND ADJUSTING ARTICLES Filed June 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,3 My m w M z y W 0 w. M 5; 1. ///Z f v 6 .3 fi V M Z J 5 x 5 Z. & A X; w w 0 9w v.

Patented May 28, 1935 V PA NT OFFICE h APPARATUS FOR- GAUGING 'aun ADJUSTING ARTICLES Arthur w. Schoof, Riverside, 111;, assignor'to' Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New

.York, N. Y., a corporation of New York r Application June 23, 1931,. Serial No. 546,229 s l detains. (or. 33-174) invention relates toapparatus for gauging and adjusting articles, and more particularly to apparatus involving opticalsystems for determirnng the. dimensions of. adjusting articles to predetermined dimensions;

Diaphragms such as are used in sound transmitting instruments are sometimes formed from metal and. in order to function proper-1y ity is necessary that'the seating portions or surfaces which "are disposed chncentrically in different planes be parallel and predeterminedly spaced from each other.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for accurately gauging articles and preferably also adjusting them to predetermined dimensions.

In accordance with the general features of this invention in one; embodiment thereof'as applied tn the gauging and adjusting to predetermined dimensions of articles, such. as metal diaphragms of the type hereinbefore referred to, an apparatus is provided which includes means for rotatahly supporting a. diaphragm .upon one of its. seating surfaces, the diaphragm being en;-

upon: another of its seating surfaces with a gauge indicator which is. freely slidabl'e in a hinged arm, the indicator being movable by its own weight. into engagement with the seating surface one position of. the arm. The indication extends from the seating. surface and into the. path of a beamof. light of an optical projector of themagnifying. type. The magnified image of the free end of the indicator is projectedz onto a. screen provided with calibrations indicating tolerance limits for parallelism of and the space between the seating surfaces and during. one revolution of the support a lack ofcpar'alle'li'sln between the seating surfaces is indicated by a movement of the image. and if. it moves out- 49 side the tolerance limits the diaphragm is considered defective unless its lack of parallelism or spacing should be corrected in a subsequent 'adjustment of the diaphragm; If the image stands still or moves only between the tolerance 43 limits during the rotation offithe diaphragnthe surfaces are considered to be sufficiently parallel and at the same time it is alsoindicated that thespace between the surfaces is within the tolerance limits. The diaphragm is manipulatedor adjusted by pressing thereon in opposite directions by cooperating movable means arranged at opposite sides of the diaphragm until the space-between. the seating surfaces is: within the tolerance limits as indicated by the image w uponthescreen. 7

7 Other obj f ifs and advantages of this invention will more" fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a diagrammatic fragmentary side 5 view of an optical system and indicator of one form of an apparatus embodying the features of this invention as applied to the gauging and adjusting of diaphragmsused in sound transmitting instruments; 19

Fig. 2 isa verticalsection on a reduced scale taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the screen with the calibratedtolerance limits and the magnified. image of the indicator of the apparatus; I V i Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary plan View of the diaphragm gauging and adjusting apparatus shown in position for gauging a diaphram;

Fig. 4 is enlarged fragmentary vertical desectional view-of Fig.3 with the apparatus shown in. positionfor gauging a. diaphragm;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical detail section- 7 al view of another embodiment of a gauging apparatus without the adjusting feature;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan View taken on 25 the: line 6.--6- of Fig.5; 7 I r Fig. -7' isa fragmentary View of a screen with one form. of calibrated tolerance limits and the magnified image of the indicators of the gauging apparatus shown in Fig.5; 3O

7 Fig. 8- is a plan view one reduced scale of the diaphragm: shown section in Fig. 4, and

Fig. 9 is a side view. thereof. Y Referring nowto the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1a,. which; diagrammatically illustratesthe optical system, a housing l0 contains a lamp H- for emitting a light beam of high intensity. The lightbeam passes from the housing ID through condensing lenses 2, a beam passing from the lensesandthrough a projector l3 having a plurality of lenses M for projecting a magnified image, to be presently described}. upon a screen I! mounted in a housing I8 adapted to shield the screen from external direct lighting so that the projected. image will be clearly revealedupon the screen. The screen- I'I may be of ground glass or other suitable material.

The optical system may be mounted on a supporting member (not shown) and inthe particular application thereof maybe arranged as a bench type apparatus. although in the drawings; it is shown in diagrammatic form for the sake of simplicity. Also mounted on the sup porting member between the lenses l2. and M is a fixture Hilfiger 3 and 4) upon which the ating outer and inner annularly disposed pe ripheral surfaces of the ring and a surrounding ring 25, respectively, the'latter being secured to the upper surface of the member 2| by screws 2? (Fig. 3). The upper surface of the ring 25 is provided'with a continuous annular surface28' (Fig. 4) for supporting the diaphragm 25 Whl Ch.

rests upon an outer annular seating portion or surface 29 provided on one side thereof adjacent its periphery in a predetermined vertical plane with respect to calibrated tolerance limits provided on the screen If. The surface 29 is the surface with respect to which other surfaces of the diaphragm, to be referred to hereinafter, are to be gauged by the apparatus of this invention. The diaphragm 25 is centered with respect to the axis of the ring 25 and prevented from moving in a horizontal direction thereon by means of a continuous flange 3| surrounding the surface 28 and slightly spaced from the periphery of the diaphragm 25. A continuous annular groove 32 is formed in theupper'surface of the ring 25 intermediate the surface 28 and the'fiange 3| for clearance purposes. The peripheral surface of the ring 25 is knurled, as shown fragmentarily in Fig. 4, for facilitating the rotation of the ring when gauging the parallelism of the surfaces of the diaphragm 28, which operation will be described hereinafter." The diaphragm 25 is formed with a central raised portion 33 upon which, adjacent its periphery; is provided an inner annular seating portion or surface 34 arranged upon the side of the diaphragm opposite to the seating surface 29 hereinbefore described, the surfaces 29 and 34' being coaxial. The surface 34 is one of the surfaces to be gauged with respect to the surface 29'by the' apparatus of this invention and will be referred to hereinafter. In some instances the diaphragm 2B is made from thin ductile metal and in order to function properly in the'sound transmitting instrument to which it is applied it is necessary that the seating portions or surfaces 29 and-34 which, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, are disposed concentrically and in different vertical planes, be parallel and predeterminedly spaced'from each other.

The base member 2| (Fig. 4) is provided with a circular depression 35 which is aligned with the inner periphery of the ring 25. Fixed to the base 2| axially of the depression 35 and the ring 25 isa vertical post 36 upon which is slidably and rotatably carried a forming or adjusting member 31 normally resting at its lower end upon the bottom wall of the depression 35. An air vent formed in the member 31 connects with an aperture 4| thereof, in which fits the post 35, the post not quite reaching the inner end of the aperture and disposed below the vent. This arrangement provides an escape for air which might be trapped between the member 3? and the upper end of the post 36 so that the member will freely move upon the post during the operation of the fixture l9, to be described hereinafter. Adjacent its lower end the member 3'! upon its periphery is provided with an annular channel 22 (Fig. 4) into which extends at opposite sides thereof furcations 43 of a bifurcated lever 45 pivoted at 45 t0 the base member 2| within a slot 56 formed therein. At its outer end the lever 44 is provided with a handle portion 49 and it will be apparent, referring to Fig. 4, upon applying pressure thereto in a downward direction that the inner bifurcated end thereof will swing upwardly and raise the member 31. The upper end of the member 31 is provided with a continuous annular wall 50 flush with the periphery of the member and having .a flat horizontal, surface at its extreme end which engages a portion of the diaphragm 25 opposite the surface 34 thereof during one adjustment of the diaphragm. The downward movement of the lever 44 is limited by a lower shouldered corner 5| thereof coming into contact with the bottom wall of the slot 45, which also extends through a vertical post 52 attached to. the left end of the basemember 2| (Fig. 4), the purpose of which will be referred to hereinafter.

Pivoted at 53; upon the post 52, which is slotted at its upper end, is a lever or leaf 54 having pivoted at its free end, as shownat 55 (Figs. 3 and 5) a pivotal latch 56 provided with a handle portion 57 and a latching portion 58.

The leaf 54 normally stands in a vertical position slightly inclined to the left, as shown in fragmentary dotted outline inFig. 4, in which position cooperating surfaces 59 and 60 provided upon the post 52 and the inner end of the leaf, respectively, engage and hold it in this position. At the right end of the base member 2| opposite the vertical post 52 is a vertical post 63 (Figs. 3

and 5) provided with a slot 64 for receiving the latch 55 when the leaf 54 is swung downwardly to the right from its dotted outline position to the position shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the latch portion 52 latching under a pin 55 carried by the post 63 and extending across the slot 54 thereof.

Threaded into an aperture formed inthe leaf 5% between the pivot 53 and the latch 55 is a circular nut 66 with a comparatively large axial aperture El formed therein. The outer end of the nut 56..has a knurled peripheral portion 58 for the purpose of facilitating the turning of the nut when operating the fixture H), to be described hereinafter. A continuous annular smooth rounded surface 69 is provided on the inner end of the nut 66 which engages a portion of the diaphragm 20 intermediate the surfaces 29 and 34 during one adjustment of the diaphragm. Upon the inner or lower surface of the leaf 5 3, as viewed in Fig. 4, and concentric with and surrounding the aperture provided in the leaf for the nut 55 is formed a continuous annular wall 15 having a fiat end surface which is parallel to the surface 28 of the ring 25 when the leaf is in its latched position and opposite the surface 29 of the diaphragm 25 during one adjustment thereof. When the leaf 54 is in its latched position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the axis of rotation of the nut and the annular surface 59 at its inner end will be coincident with the vertical axis of the rotatable ring 25 supporting and centering the diaphragm 2i],

which as hereinbefore described is provided with the outer and inner coaxial oppositely disposed annular seating portions or surfaces 29 and 34.

Secured to the outer or upper surface of the leaf 54, when it is positioned horizontally for gauging a diaphragm 2|, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4, is an arm H provided with an elongated head 12 at its free end which extends freely into the aperture 61 of the nut 66.- Mounted to freely slide in a suitable aperture formed in the head 12 is an elongated gauge member l3jprovided with an annular shoulder adjacent its upper end and terminating thereabove in a pointedindicator portion 14, the shoulder serving to predeterminedly limit the movement of the gauge member 13 inaone direction; while a movement thereof in the. opposite direction' is limited by a horizontal arm ISsec'ured-tothe head 12 and suitably spaced from the end of the indicator H The gauge member 13' is arranged in the head 12 so that the lower end thereof Also mounted to-freely slide in the head 12 in a manner similar to that of thegauge member 13 only arranged therein to engage coaxially the central raised portion 33 of the diaphragm is a shouldered pin 18 having a predetermined weightequivalent to the pressure exerted normally on the central portion 33 of the diaphragm when in use in a sound transmitting instrument which permits the gauging and. adjusting of the diaphragm under. conditions substantially the same as when it is in use. The movement of the pin 18 .is limited in either direction in the head 12 by. the shoulder of the pin and the arm 15. r In Fig. 2 is. illustrated an elevational view "of the screen H which has marked thereon a pair of parallel horizontal gauginglines I9 indicating tolerance limits for parallelism of and the space between the surfaces, the :lines being suitably calibrated invaccordance with the particular article and dimensions or "other characteristics thereof to be gauged. In gauging and adjusting the diaphragms 2B of the type hereinbefore described itwill be understood that the fixture Is, as hereinbefore mentioned, is mounted on a common supporting member (not shown) with the elements of the optical system in a predetermined relation therewith. In this relation the vertical axis of the gauge member 13 is arranged at right angles to and intersects the horizontal axis of the beam of 'lightpassing from the condensing lenses l2 to the lenses H of the projector I3. With the leaf 54 of the gauging and adjusting fixture IS in its normal raised position slightly inclined to the left as indicated 'infrag'mentary dotted outline in Fig. 4 and correctly related to the optical system the lamp ll of the latter is turned on and the beamof light passes between the lenses I2 and and onto the screen H. u A. diaphragm 20. is then positioned on the surface 2-8 of the ring and centered by the flange 3| with the. central raised portion 33 thereof facing upwardly Thereafter the. leaf 54 is swung downwardly and latched into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in the manner hereinbefore described, whereupon the lower end of 33 of the diaphragm. In this position of the gauge member 13 the indicator portion thereof will extend into the path of the beam of light between the lenses l2 and H, as clearly shown inFig. ..l,. whereupona magnified image 80 of the upper end of'the gage indicator will be projected onto'the screen H, as showninFig. .2. The operatorthen rotates the ring 25, at least a. complete revolution, by grasping the knurled periphery. thereof and if th 1111386 80 or. the gauge indicator [4 during the rotation-of the diaphragm 2G movesvertically between the lines 7.9 of the screen I l alack .of parallelism of the surfaces 29. and 34 of the diaphragm 20 is indicated, and if the movement is such thatthe imagemovesoutside the lines. 79,whichare the tolerancerlimits, the particular diaphragm is considered defective, unless during further gaugingand subsequent adjusting thereof, to be described shortly; its lack of parallelism shouldbe corrected to a point .which will'bring 'it'within thetolerance limits. .1 I i L 1 Ifthe image 80 of the gauge indicator l4 stands still or moves only between the tolerance limits 79 during the rotation of the diaphragm 20 the surfaces 29 and 34 of the diaphragm. are considered to be sufficiently parallel topermit the use of the diaphragm and at the same ti-meit is also indicated that the space between the surfaces 29 and 34 is within the predetermined tolerance limits and, therefora'the diaphragm 20 is considered. satisfactory with respect to this particular'diinension between the mentioned sur faces and also as to their parallelism. i

Should the image 80 of the indicator" lie 7 sure is applied by the operatorto the handle portion 49 of the lever 44; The forming or adjusting member 31 is thus-moved upwardly, bringing the upper fiat surface of the annular wall 50 into engagement with the central portion 33 ofthe diaphragm 20 at a point opposite the surface 34,.first moving the diaphragm bodily upwards until the surface thereof opposite to the surface 29 engages the flat end surface of the annular wall ID of the leaf-54L The continuing'upwardmovement of the member 3'1 raises the central portion 33 of the diaphragm 20 to a higher level, the peripheral portion of the diaphragm adjacentuthe surface ZSbeing held back by its engagement with the wall 10 and the material of the diaphragm will be manipulated or formed annularly aroundlthe inner edge of the wall 19.. It isto be understood that at this timethenut 66 is at such a. level in the leaf 54 which will prevent the diaphragmk'fi from engaging with the-annular surface 69 of the nut. Hand pressure is then removed from the handle. portion 49 and the member 31 moves downwardlyto its normal position and the position of thelimage 89 of the indicator M is again observed. If. the image 80 is still below the lower limit line 19 the operation just described is repeated, with a slightly increased pressure upon the handle portion 49' and if necessaryagain repeated until the image shows between the limit lines 19. y

In case the image 80 of the indicator it lies above the upper limit 19 either in the first in stance or during theforming operation first described, the adjustment. of the diaphragm is made in the following manner: The operator grasps the nut 66 and turns it downwardly the leaf 54 to engage the annular surfacet'fi of the nut with the portion of the diaphragm 20 intermediate-the surfaces '39 and 34. A continuedrotation of the nut 66 lowers the .central portion 33 of the diaphragm 29, manipulating or forming it annularly around the inner edge of the surface 28 of the ring 25 upon which rests the surface 29 of the diaphragm.. The nut 66 .is then rotated in a reverse direction, drawing the annular surface 89 sufiiciently away from the diaphragm so that it ,will not be influenced thereby and the image 89 of the indicator 14 is again observed. Should the image .80 still be. above the upper limit line 19 the operation just described is repeated, the, nut 66 being lowered a slightly greater distance, and if necessary again repeated until the image shows between the limit lines 19. gauging andadjusting of thediaphragm '29 'upon the fixture l9 and thereafter the leaf 54 is unlatched-by pulling upwardly upon the handle portion 51 of the pivotal latch 56 and the leaf is then raised to its substantially vertical position. To raise the diaphragm 29 from the ring 25 the lever 44 is operated by pressing downwardly .upon the handle portion 49, the operator then removing the. diaphragm while in its raised position.

Although the nut 66 has been described herein as means for manipulating oradjusting a diaphragm 29, it will be obvious that it may be ,used as a positioningor holding element for the part being gauged.

, In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 there is shown another embodiment of this. invention whereby the relative spaces and parallelism between three annular seating portions or surfaces disposed on one side of the diaphragm 29, comprising the previously described surface 34, a surface 83 opposite the previously described surface 29, and a surface 84 at the outer edge of' the diaphragm may be gauged.

The apparatus disclosed in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 may be advantageously used as a separate cross or re-check of the efficiencyof the gauging and adjusting apparatus previously described and also may serve to detect whether any deleterious deformation hasbeen created in the surfaces 83 and 84 during the previous adjustment between the surfaces 29 and 34.

Referring particularly to Fig. there is disclosed a fixture 85 substantially similar to the fixture [9, previously described, with the exception that it does not embody means for forming or adjusting the diaphragm 29 and includes two gauge members 86' and 81 in addition to the previously described gauge member 13, the gauge members 86 and 81 engaging the annular seating surfaces 83 and 84, respectively, of the diaphragm.

The upper ends of the gauge members, 13, 86 and 81 terminate in pointed indicator portions 90, 9| and 92, respectively, the indicator portions 90 and 92 being suitably offset from the gauge members 13 and 87 and toward the indicator portion 9| of the gauge member 86 in order that magnified images 93, 94 and 95 there- 'of (Fig. 7) upon the screen l1 may be observed in close relation. For the purpose of'preventing angular displacement of the indicator portions 99 and 92 guiding pins 98, secured to the head 12 in which the gauge members '53, 86 and 81 are mounted to freely slide are associated with the offset portions of the indicator portions 90 and 92.

In the use of the fixture 85 in association with the elements of the optical system, previ- This completes the ously described; a diaph1'agm'2ll'is positioned on the rotatable ring 25 and the leaf 54 is swung downwardlyand latched ina manner similar to that described in connection with the fixture [9. The lower ends of the gauge members 13, 86 and 81 will then freely rest upon or engage the annular seating surfaces 34, 83 and 84, respectively, of the diaphragm, the pin 18 also will freely rest upon or engage coaxially the central portion 33 of the diaphragm. With the gauge members 13, 89 and Bl in this position the indicator portions 99, 9i and 92, respectively, will extend into the path of the beam of light and thus the magnified images 93, 94 and 95, respectively, will appear'upon the screen IT, as shown in Fig. 7. The screen I! has marked thereon an individual pair'of parallel horizontal gauging lines 99 for each indicator image, indicating tolerance limits for parallelism of and the space between the surfaces 34, 83 and 84. If during a complete revolution of the ring 25 each of the images 93, 94 and 95 stays between its tolerance limits the diaphragm is considered satisfactory with respect to the particular tolerance limits between the surfaces 34, 83 and 84, and also asto their parallelism. In case both of the images 94 and 95 lie between their respective tolerance limits and the image 93 lies above or belowits tolerance limits, either before or during the rotating of the ring 25, it is possible that the particular diaphragm 29 may be adjusted in the manner hereinbefore described, by means of the fixture 19. If either of the images 94 and 95 lies above or below its respective tolerance limits the particular diaphragm is considered defective.

From the foregoing descriptiontit will be apparent that means is provided for accurately gauging and adjusting diaphragms of the described type to predetermined dimensions in a facile manner. 7

Although the invention as herein illustrated and described is particularly well adapted for use in connection with the gauging and adjusting of a particular type of diaphragm for use in sound transmitting instruments, it should be understood that the novel features thereof are capable of being applied to the gauging and adjusting of other types of diaphragm's, as well as that of other articles or other applications and should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A gauge comprising rotatable means for supporting an article to be gauged, an elongated gauge member slidably mounted in position for one end therof to engage the article to be gauged at a point spaced from the center of rotation, and an element having a predetermined weight slidably mounted and arranged to axially engage the article for exerting a predetermined pressure thereagainst during gauging.

2. A gauge comprising means for supporting an article to :be gauged, an elongated gauge member slidably mounted in position for one end thereof to engage the article to be gauged at a' point spaced fromits center, and an element having a predetermined weight slidably mounted and arranged to engage the article coincident with its center for exerting a predetermined pressure thereagainst during gauging.

3. A gauge comprisinga frame, means mounted thereon for supporting an article to be gauged, a member hinged to the frame, an elongated gauge, jmember. slidably.,mounted in 4. In an apparatus for gauging the space be tween concentric surfaces of an article disposed in different planes, means for indicating calibrated tolerance limits for the space to be gauged, a frame associated therewith having a seating portion with which one surface of the article is engaged for predeterminedly locatingit with respect to the tolerance limits, a member hinged to the frame, an elongated gauge member slidably mounted in the member in position for one end thereof to engage the other surface of the article at a point spaced from its center when the hinged member is in one position and having its other end spaced therefrom and in position for comparison with the tolerance limits, and an element slidably mounted and arranged to engage the article at a point centered with respect to the concentric surfaces for exerting a predetermined pressure thereagainst during gaugmg.

5. In an apparatus for gauging a diaphragm, a support, a seat thereon for the diaphragm, a member hinged to said support carrying an adjustable annular member for engaging the diaphragm in one position, an arm carried by said hinged member and extending into said annular member, and a gauging element carried by the extension of said arm.

6. In an apparatus for gauging an article, a

support, a seat thereon for the article, an apertured member hinged to said support, an arm carried by said member and extending into the aperture thereof, and a gauging element carried by the extension of said arm, said gauging element being slidable in an aperture in the extension of said arm.

'7. In an apparatus for gauging a plurality of concentric plane surfaces of a disc-shaped article, a support for the article, and a plurality of gauge members slidably mounted in spaced relationship and arranged perpendicular to the plane surfaces to be gauged for one end of each of the gauge members to engage the respective plane surface of the article to be gauged, the

opposite ends of the gauge members being provided with indicator portions, and the indicator portions of certain of the gauge members being offset relative to the article engaging ends thereof and arranged in close relationship for observation.

8. In an apparatus for gauging a disk-shaped article, a support, a seat thereon for the article, a member hinged to said support having an annular portion adapted in one position to lie over the periphery of the article, an arm carried by Said hinged member and having an extension extending into the space within said annular portion, and a gauging element carried by said extension, said gauging element being mounted for movement substantially perpendicular to the surface of said article.

9. In an apparatus for gauging an article, a support, a seat rotatable thereon for the article, a member hinged to the support carrying an adjustable annular member for engaging the article in one position, an arm carried. by said hinged member and extending into said annular member, and a gauging element carried by the extension of said arm.

ARTHUR W. SCHOOF. 

